Lowball Aid Offer? Here’s the Secret to Getting More
It's me, Andy, again, with another fun fact about financial aid and scholarships:
Colleges are deliberately vague about financial aid. Ever notice that they never publish a "recipe" for scholarships?
As in, "If you have a GPA of X, and SATs of Y, you'll get the Super Duper Chancellor's Presidential VIP Scholarship of $25,000."
You won't find specific information like that on 99% of the college websites out there.
But then, once you GET a financial aid or scholarship award, things won't necessarily get more clear.
Instead, they make it confusing so you don’t notice when they leave money off the table.
You might miss it at first, but as you tally up the actual, free money (grants and scholarships) offer, compared to the actual COST of college, you might be left scratching your head and wondering,
“Where’s the beef?”
That’s why I created the "Art of the College Deal" Financial Aid Negotiation and Appeals Training.
I’ll walk you through...
“We went from 23K in aid to 53,058 overnight!”
In the not-so-distant past, an Oyster Bay (Long Island) family received a financial aid offer from The University of Spoiled Children out in LA: $23,518.
Not too shabby!
Alexa, was PSYCHED!. She got into her dream school!
But dad, Rick, although happy for her, was sweating bullets. Even after the $23K and change offer, USC was still going to cost him a pretty penny.
Rick told Alexa the devastating news: unless USC sweetened their offer, he could not afford to send her to her top choice college.
Alexa thought it was all over, and sank into a foul mood. Rick thought she'd never shake it.
But that's when he and I rolled up our sleeves and went to work, using the exact same techniques waiting for you to discover inside my “Art of the College Deal” Financial Aid Negotiation and Appeals Training.
(Coupon code APPEAL200)
We wrote up an appeal that persuasively advocated how USC had misinterpreted Rick's FAFSA and CSS Profile, and WHY...
The $9,800 Mistake You Can’t Afford to Make
Most families blindly accept their first financial aid offer because they think they're stuck: it's the final, best offer they're gonna get and that's it.
That’s exactly what colleges bank on. Literally.
But here’s the truth: Aid is negotiable.
Take, for example, the Baumhakls, restaurant owners in Oregon. A year ago, they received an offer from an elite liberal arts private college for their son and assumed they didn’t qualify for more aid.
But after we used the exact same strategies that I lay out in my “Art of the College Deal” Financial Aid Negotiation and Appeals Training, they ultimately secured an extra $9,800 of grants - that's free money that doesn't have to be repaid!
I expect that to be $9,800 per year, actually. Not bad for a simple email!
This could happen for you.
This week only, you can get in for $200 off my “Done With You” workshop —but the price goes up Sunday at midnight.
Claim your discount now → Learn...
Don’t Accept a Weak Aid Offer—Negotiate for More
Your child worked her heart out for years. The late nights, excessive AP classes, insane extracurriculars, laborious, excruciating essay writing and re-writing...
...all to earn a spot at her dream school!
But now, after everything, the euphoria wears off and she finally gets her financial aid letter. It’s a gut punch.
The numbers defy common sense. "They want us to pay WHAT?" What planet do these financial aid officers live on?
They think you can afford way more than you can—but they don’t care if you drain your savings or take on massive student and parent debt. But...
Here’s what they don’t want you to know:
You can fight back. And I’ll show you how.
I’ve been criticized all over the internet for doing this, but I don’t care, because I don't want to see another kid not go to the college he deserved to attend...
...or another family needlessly rack up mountains of debt (student and parent), creating a deep financial hole that...
How to Grovel for More Financial Aid
Good morning - today on College Coffee Talk (10AM EST) Pearl and I will walk you through how to negotiate more cashola from your college if they "lowballed" you for scholarships or financial aid!
Join us in a few minutes, live or replay (same spot, our Facebook page):
Hope you can stop by!
- Andy "The Art of the College Deal" Lockwood
P.S. Did you know you could ask for more aid? Many parents don't.
See, you already learned something today! (Take the rest of the day off.)
Financial Aid is UNFAIR—Here’s How to Beat It
Let’s be honest: being accepted to a top college is harder than getting your kid to make their bed and occasionally turn off a light, but when it comes to paying for college…
It's like the financial aid process punishes responsible families!
Saved money for college? Too bad—colleges expect you to drain it all and fork it over. Lived within your means? No reward for that—other than a bigger tuition bill. Your neighbor spends everything on Instagram-worthy vacations, luxury cars and five star restaurants, saving nothing? They get more financial aid, while you get to pay Full Boat!
It’s unfair. But here's the thing...
The system works. Because it's not supposed to be fair!
But here's something you need to understand....
You don’t have to let these rip-off colleges hit you where the sun don’t shine! Because...
Paying full price is a choice, not an obligation!
THIS AFTERNOON AT 1PM, in our free, must-attend webinar, The College Admissions...
Ooops (the webinar is tomorrow)
Admissions "Cheat Code" Webinar
Whoopsies.
I meant to tell you about the webinar I'm running tomorrow (Wednesday 2/5), not the one in November (also scheduled but too early for registrations).
The sign up page is correct, but this morning's email mentioned the future, November event instead of tomorrow's.
My mistake!
But you can sign up for tomorrow's webinar here:
- Andy "2nd Time's The Charm" Lockwood
P.S. Topics for tomorrow's presentation include:
The shocking percentage of families who pay full price for college—and how to avoid becoming one of them Why students with weaker GPAs and lower SAT scores STILL get into elite schools The hidden factors that REALLY matter in admissions (it’s not what they tell you and they’re not all politically correct) How financial aid is designed to punish families who saved—and how to fight back and beat the colleges at their own game How to negotiate...
Secrets Your Guidance Counselor Won’t Tell You
If you’re relying on your school’s guidance counselor to help your son or daughter get into a top college and figure out how to get financial aid… you’re making a BIG mistake.
I’m not bashing school counselors. They’re well-intentioned. But they’re undertrained and overworked, juggling hundreds of students.
They don’t have the time or the wherewithal to give you the "hidden," real playbook.
But I’ve got great news for you…
In tomorrow afternoon’s brand new free webinar, The College Admissions “Cheat Code”, you will discover rarely-disclosed tips and strategies to multiply your child’s odds of acceptance to her Dream School…
…and five plus “hacks” and “loopholes” that will help you SLASH college costs, even if you (mistakenly) think you’d get BUPKIS if you applied for aid!
Here are some of the “burning” questions and topics on tap...
College Admissions is Rigged—Here’s How to Win
You may have heard the whispers: the college admissions system isn’t fair.
Perfect grades? High SAT scores? Hard work? That’s NOT what gets students into top schools.
It's not a meritocracy. Colleges have their own agenda. They don’t care how much you think your child deserves a spot.
And when it comes to financial aid? The families who saved responsibly and lived within their means get punished the most.
But here’s the good news...
You can level the playing field.
I’m busting out a brand new training class, “The College Admissions Cheat Code” just for you. You will discover rarely-to-never discussed strategies, tips and tactics that your guidance counselor is not permitted to share...
...or doesn’t even know about in the first place, including:
Why “Test-Optional” isn’t always optional—and how to decide whether to submit scores The oddball reason why students with lower GPAs and weaker SAT and ACT...
Pearl vs. Guidance Counselor
Good morning!
We're hitting the airwaves this morning -- 10:00am EST -- for College Coffee Talk, our live show about college admissions and financial aid news that you can use!
Here's what's on tap for today:
A case study where my little feisty Pearl went up against the advice of a school counselor at an elite NYC high school.
This one's good, you won't want to miss it!
Grab a cup of joe and we'll see you at 10am EST (recorded if you can't make it)
- Andy Lockwood
